Departments such as procedural areas including the cardiac catheterization lab require specialized training and development of technical skills. With the shortage of experienced registered nurses (RNs) and radiologic technologists (RTs), and lack of time preceptors have to explain the why’s and how’s during a procedure, an intensive academy focusing on cath lab essentials was created as an adjunct to new-to-service employees to help bridge the gap between theory and practice. During the program, specific goals and objectives were set and measured by performance and assignments or tests.

A new-to-service employee was defined as one who has less than a year’s experience in the cardiac cath lab. Participants were identified through a variety of methods: master tracker of new employees, rounding with leadership and through word of mouth. The instructor-led curriculum consists of didactic, simulation and clinical experiences. Didactic components include elements of the team including scopes of practice, communication, legal/ethical issues, procedures, equipment utilized, and management of complications or emergencies specific to the cath lab environment. Simulation consists of incorporating a virtual cath lab environment using a commercial simulator in conjunction with a scenario of left and right heart cath (LHC, RHC) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Clinical experiences were integrated with the participant working with his/her preceptor to apply concepts learned in class to the clinical setting. The program was evaluated throughout by the participants, faculty and governance team.